The Legacy
by Jareth Dallis
Summary: When Naruto is forced to kill Sasuke a chain of events unfolded. Now five years later, Naruto has become stronger, but he has become more callous and introverted. Not wanting to let anyone in ever again. But he may need to find his reason to fight again.
1. It's a New Day

**Author's Notes: The fluff has ended. It's time for something more angsty, darker, and more mature. I was inspired by Alpha T. Sigma's latest work, and since I'm a touch moody lately. I can do something my speed. Some lemons are bound to show up, only because it fits the nature of the story. Oh and Haremy stuff.**

_Madara's soul was torn from his mortal shell and tossed into the waiting maw of the Shinigami. He would never be able to weave his schemes again. "Hahahahaaaaaaa It's not over…it'll never be over!!!" he ranted as his soul was pulled deep inside of the Shinigami a look of derangement filling his face as he was swallowed._

"_Maybe now…a new world can be born…" Naruto spoke with exhaustion, feeling tired, from the ordeal. As the Death God jerked his hand from Naruto's body he pulled a soul that was not Naruto's, but that of Kyuubi and its chakra, a bargain by all rights. As the Shinigami faded Naruto's body grew weak the sudden loss of the infernal fox had taken its toll on him. The Shinigami fading away, hid duty in this realm accomplished, he left with out a word_

_Naruto stumbled his body suddenly feeling much heavier, the first time in his life he felt truly depleted of chakra. He couldn't keep himself up any longer, as his legs gave out, he found himself being supported by none other than Karui. "Hold on blondie…" she said as she looked at him with a new found respect, she saw that he was a gambler and willing to do even the most dangerous things_

"_It isn't over Naruto…it will never be over. Not so long as there is an Uchiha and a Senjuu." coldly Sasuke said as he stood to his feet, just as weak from his part of the fight. He was the one who held back Madara and kept him busy while Naruto summoned the Shinigami._

"_What the hell are you talking about!? Tsunade-baachan was the last of the Senjuu!" Naruto said in agitation, he was tired of the fighting, he was tired of this whole war between clans that were cousins._

"_Wrong. You are the last of the Senjuu! After all, you had a body that could contain the Kyuubi! Madara's goals are my goals…they are the goals of the Uchiha!" he said as he pulled the Kusanagi blade from its scabbard and moved forward._

_Karui unsheathed her katana she couldn't let Sasuke just have his way, Naruto was incapable of fighting as he was. She didn't like this behavior that was coming so suddenly in a time that should be about celebrating an end to a war._

"_I'm tired of this Sasuke! It seems my words won't get through to you…since you are so sure that the Senjuu are wrong in all of this…I'll stop you here…" Naruto said as he tried to keep his eyes open, he wanted to sleep, he wanted to rest, but it looked as if one fight remained._

_As Sasuke staggered towards the blond shinobi, the red haired Kunoichi rushed forward, she stood in front of Naruto and turned to face Sasuke. She glared in disgust at him she was unable to tolerate any more her eyes were welled with tears she knew what had to be done. Sasuke had to die._

"_Do you want to die with him? I have no problem fulfilling that wish." casually he spoke as he leveled his blade ready to kill both in one blow. He wasn't moved in the least by Karin's look of sadness. He didn't need her anymore he didn't need to kill anyone._

_Karin's eyes widened in horror as the dark haired teen held his sword, she trembled in fear as she fearfully said, "Sasuke-kun…you…you're not serious are you…?" _

_As the Uchiha smiled darkly, and took a step back and readied his sword, Naruto had enough and took hold of Karui's sword. He lunged forward and swung the sword, he had reached the breaking point, and Sasuke was too far gone to save. He had to die the twisted desires of one Clan did not outweigh the rights of the world._

_Blow for blow the strikes each dealt out were parried, but Naruto was running out of steam quickly. He couldn't maintain this intensity much longer, and when it looked hopeless the katana Naruto wielded, broke, the tip flying free and struck Sasuke in the very eye he needed for Amaterasu._

"_Arggh!!!" Sasuke screamed as searing pain filled his eye, he reached up and pulled the shard of metal from his eye. As he did such he removed his eye completely, he stumbled back slowly holding a hand over the right side of his face, he could keep going even with his injury. "You don't have enough energy left to fight me! Without the Kyuubi and its Chakra you are weak!!!" he shouted as if he were victorious, he shoved his sword to the ground, as he gripped his arm forming the Chidori ready to end it._

"_Naruto! Sasuke-kun!! Stop!!!" Sakura screamed desperately as she stood between the two wanting to stop it, to her it was senseless there was no need for Sasuke to repeat the same cycle that transpired time and time again._

"_Sakura-chan, get out of the way!! He chose his path the moment he adopted Madara's beliefs as his own…" Naruto spoke with a new harshness to his voice, as he held his palm to the side and slowly formed his Rasengan. And in a sudden flash the two prideful shinobi rushed each other once more. It seemed as if time slowed as the two rushed headlong crashing t heir respective spheres into one another._

_The two seemed to be at a stalemate, as the masses of chakra continued to push against each other. Suddenly as it looked as if Naruto could gain the advantage, he was slashed across the chest, the Uchiha had produced a kunai and dealt a critical blow to his opponent._

_Naruto staggered back, blood was freely pouring from his chest, he found the broken Katana. He quickly rushed forward, not wasting a moment and swung the sword diagonally across Sasuke's chest. "…It didn't have to be like this Sasuke…" Naruto said with regret in his voice as he released his grip on the blade._

_Sasuke staggered back a smug smirk on his face, "It isn't over yet…I'll destroy it all…" he said cryptically as he staggered back towards the end of the cliff, clutching his chest as he jumped back and fell to his demise. Naruto rushed to the edge of the cliff and watched as his one time friend vanished into the mist below._

Five years later…that day still replayed time and time again for Naruto, the day he was forced to do what he never wanted to do. They never found Sasuke's body after the incident, he was alive. If he was dead they would have found the body.

The blond sat at the edge of his bed, the scar Sasuke had inflicted on him, it seared with tremendous pain. As if the rage of the last Uchiha was coursing through it. Like a curse from beyond the grave.

He had changed much in the years since that fateful day. He changed emotionally, he had constantly distanced himself from others, the ones who loved him, the ones who cared about him, and those that respected him. He had become so aloof, so hard hearted that he avoided bonds. He avoided creating bonds with people he didn't want to endanger anyone ever again.

Physically he had grown taller, more muscular, and on top of that he now sported a set of sleeve tattoos as well as one on his back. It was like a body suit, except the tattoos didn't spread onto his chest.

He shifted his eyes to the window and sighed, "Another restless night…" he quietly complained as he stood to his feet and walked to the bathroom to wash up. He pushed his hands through his longer hair, sighed yet again before washing his face, and staring at his reflection in the mirror.

"This legacy of the Rikudou Sennin has brought nothing but trouble…if only things went differently that day…" he sorrowfully said as he turned and walked from the bathroom. He pulled on his black muscle shirt and black cargo pants, followed by his hooded fur coat, the black fur trim, the fire orange fabric, and black flames rising from the bottom of the coat. He tied his headband around his head and pulled the hood up, he walked to the door and put on his sandals and walked out the door.

He sprung to the roof and bound from roof to roof, heading straight for the Hokage Tower, he couldn't sit around any longer, he needed to get his mind on a mission. It was the only time he felt at ease anymore, as he landed softly at the entrance.

"Naruto…" came a calm voice, as the blond turned, he saw it was Haruno Sakura. Her hair was longer, her Chinese style top had evolved, it was lower cut showed her belly a bit more. She still wore the skirt from her Chuunin days, but now they were embroidered with her family symbol, the white circle.

"…What do you want Sakura..." he coldly replied, as he looked over his shoulder before he walked to the door.

"It isn't your fault…none of it was…" she exclaimed as she tried to get through to her friend.

"Not my fault?! It is my fault…I was weak, I didn't have resolve!!" he shouted in rage, he very much blamed himself, he could have done something else.

She glared and grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him to the wall and said angrily, "Listen to me! You were not weak! You are weak now you used to get strength by your bonds with others! What happened with Sasuke, it couldn't be helped. He was going to kill you!"

"…I'm not weak…I'm pushing others away to keep them safe. When I'm involved others get hurt…all because I'm descended of the Senjuu…" he responded in an almost melancholy manner, he then gripped Sakura's wrists and forced her to release him, "I have to go, I have to meet the Hokage…"

'…_What happened to Naruto…who taught you this was the only way…?' _inwardly the medical ninja asked, she didn't like the one-eighty in the blonde's personality. She watched as her friend walked into the Hokage Tower and shouted worriedly, "You have to be more careful!! You will die if you aren't more careful, you aren't able to regenerate anymore!"

Naruto stopped and looked back at her with an emotionless gaze, almost like that of Pein, dryly saying, "I don't care…I really don't…" he then walked into the building and made his way to the upper floors, as he walked into the office. Hatake Kakashi was sitting at the desk, he would be the Rokudaime Hokage, Naruto's change in personality following his journey, indicated he needed to grow more emotionally and wasn't ready for the job.

"Naruto…good of you to arrive…" dryly the Kage spoke from behind his desk as he looked at the blond with a blank expression.

Naruto noticed that Karin and Kiba were in the room as well, "What's the mission Kakashi-sensei?" the blond coldly asked, as he leaned against the doorway.

"…Right. There have been some reports from around the world of graves being robbed, and people just disappearing." Kakashi explained as he looked at the blond, he had seen the boy grow to be a capable Jounin, but he often wondered at what cost. Kakashi set the scroll with the details on it on the desk, and continued calmly, "The most recent incident was in the Land of Waves. Karin and Kiba will join you on this mission. You need to track down whoever is responsible. Also the fourth member of your team will be joining you late, she had some duties to attend to this morning. You will be acting as squad leader. You should leave for this mission as soon as you are prepared"

"Hmph. Why the hell is he squad leader? He will just leave us behind and take care of everything on his own. LIKE LAST TIME!" Kiba quickly complained as he stood to his feet in displeasure.

"…Hmph…whatever…maybe if you stayed on your toes a little bit more I wouldn't have to handle everything…" callously the blond responded as he turned and walked from the door and decided to head back to his house.

Kiba growled and rushed toward Naruto and grabbed him by the neck, "I'm really sick of your callous attitude! We're to work as a team! So fucking what!? You killed Sasuke! If you didn't act, he would have killed that red head that seems to think you are so great, would have been killed! I know you better than that! You would have defended her regardless!!" the Inuzuka heir shouted as he glared hostilely at Naruto.

Hinata had been walking to the floor when she saw the conflict between Naruto and Kiba, and rushed over and struck the precise pressure points of the two and disabled the two, making it so neither could move their arms. "What has gotten into you two!?" she exclaimed, no longer stuttering when in the presence of Naruto. It was just another change from the war that had occurred.

"Hotshot here had to go and say he would rather work alone because he's still being a whiny bitch about killing Sasuke." Kiba explained as he shifted his gaze to Hinata.

Hinata shook her head as she separated the two before she restored motion to their limbs, she had a feeling she would have to do this several more times during the mission.

"Don't talk like you understand dog boy! It's more than killing Sasuke that has affected him. Try and think that there were factors that lead to this change, it isn't just Sasuke that made him become like this." Karin quickly berated the brown haired shinobi, adjusting her glasses as she finished. She stood from her chair and walked to the blond and took him by the arm, leading him to the stairway to the lower floor, "I'm going with Naruto-kun. We'll meet you at the gates when its time to depart…"

"…Maybe she'll give him some head and make him calm down…" muttered the brown haired shinobi as he watched the squad leader leave.

Hinata looked at Kiba, and said, "Did you say something Kiba-kun?" she hadn't quite heard what her old teammate had said.

Kiba froze he didn't want Hinata to hear that, it was probably the worst choice of words. Unsure of how she felt about this new Naruto, he went for the save and said, "Nothing! Just that Naruto needs to stop being so serious!"

Out in front of the building, Naruto jerked his arm away from Karin and looked coldly at her. He walked away slowly, not wanting to deal with her, as he tersely spoke, "I'm not Sasuke so stop clinging to me…"

"…You think I'm like that? That I would use you as a surrogate for him…really!?" she responded as she looked at him, she quickly walked in front of him and looked at him seriously.

He just looked down at her with a sullen look, "Aren't you…?" he callously said as he tried to walk past her.

As the blond pushed past her, she looked to the ground she couldn't believe the change in the once kind hearted shinobi. His chakra once so warm, it felt like spring all the time, it was now cold, cold with self loathing. She momentarily bit her lip shifting her gaze as she played with the hem of her skirt as she hesitantly said, "you can use me..."

Naruto stopped in his tracks he didn't understand where she was coming from with this comment that he could use her.

"You can use me…you know what I mean." she meekly said as she turned around to look at him, she would take his burdens if she had to. She knew this wasn't the true Naruto, just the result of what happened after reality chewed him up and spit him out.

"Whatever…" he uncaringly said as he continued walking away.

She grabbed his arm and looked at him with all the sincerity she had and said, "Use me…take your frustrations out on me…no emotions…just use me if you need to."

"You're serious...?" his words sounded as if he was considering her offer, but he knew what it meant.

She nodded her head, _'I'll take on his burdens…as long as he doesn't take it out on others anymore…this isn't him, I see the real him when I look into his eyes…'_ she thought to herself as she looked sincerely at him as she said, "You need to stop taking aggravation out on others…"

He looked at her emotionlessly and frostily said, "…Fine…have it your way…lets just go…"

Moments later at his house, Naruto pushed Karin against the wall she didn't resist him at all. He only looked at her in question, "Why aren't you resisting!?" he shouted in agitation as he pressed her flush against the wall.

"…I said you could use me, that means you can have sex with me. I love you…I really do…" she said as she looked tenderly at him, resting her hands on his shoulders. She slowly took her glasses off and set them onto a nearby table and proceeded to unbutton her top pulling her top open.

"…No regrets then…" he said as he lifted her up and held her against the wall hiking the skirt up above her hips. Slowly reaching down he unzipped his pants pulling his half erect member out slowly.

Karin without hesitation reached down and wrapped her delicate hand about his tool stroking it softly to make sure he was completely ready. She clutched the sleeve of his coat slowly scissoring her legs about his body. She looked at him with a kind look as she leaned towards his ear and whispered, "Take me…" slowly pulling her hand away from his member to pull her panties to the side.

Naruto didn't hesitate to fulfill her request, placing the head of his member against her entrance he slowly pressed against her until he was inside of her. As he did this she wrapped her arms around him, her face become flush from the stimulation. He pulled himself firmly against her, his hips resting against hers before he slowly began rolling his hips.

She bit her lip as she rolled her head before she brought her head back burying it into the crook of his neck. "Naruto-kun…" she hushed as she clung to him rolling her hips to meet his. Her hand ran up back of his head, her fingers running along the fabric of his headband as she untied it and removed it, pulling it off of his head and dropped it onto the table.

He grasped her hips as he pumped himself in and out of her, his breathing gradually growing heavier. He rested his forehead to hers as she pushed her fingers through his hair, he stared into her eyes and as the excitement began to overtake him, he pressed his lips to hers kissing her deeply.

Parting from the kiss she looked deep in his eyes, "Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun!!" she chanted his name repeatedly closing her eyes as she pulled closer to him. She lowered one of her legs as he hooked his arm around the other, as she felt him start thrusting in and out of her harder.

He slowly ran his right hand from her hip, moving it along her side before finally grabbing hold of one of her breasts. He softly fondled her as he moved in and out of her like a piston, gradually he built up the intensity of his movements. Each time his hips hit hers, her body shook lightly. "Karin you feel good…" he groaned out as he pushed himself firmly into her, slowly hooking his fingers under her bra and lifted it up to free one of her breasts.

Her face become more and more flush with excitement as she felt his hand lightly massaging one of her breasts. She began to roll her hips to his as she began to feel herself drawing closer to her climax, she wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders and neck pulling herself closer to him. "Naruto-kun…harder…I'm the one who's supposed to make you come…but…you're making me come…"

"You want more…? Then here…you go…Karin …" he whispered in her ear as moved his hands to her hips and pulled himself against her hips with a new fervor. His breath was becoming heavier and more labored as he built up speed working himself to his peak.

"Ahhh! Nhhh…N-Naruto-kun…I-I'm nghh!!! NARUTO-KUN!!!" she screamed in ecstasy as she clamped down onto him and threw her head back in pleasure as her eyes rolled back from the pleasure, as waves of satisfaction crashed through her body.

"Uhhn…Karin…I'm…" he hushed as he drew closer to coming and releasing his load into her, he slowed his hip thrusts preparing to pull out.

Karin snapped out of her tranquil daze and hooked both of her legs around him pulling him deep inside of her. "Don't you dare pull out…" she said as she began to ride him, working to make him release.

He groaned as she pumped herself over his length and decided to not fight her on this, this time and began moving her over his length. "Ahhhn…Karin…Karin…KARIN!!!" he shouted as he pushed her against the wall and himself deep inside of her, with each spasm of his cock he filled her with his thick load. As he finished he rested against her catching his breath, slowly running his hand through her hair.

She smiled affectionately at him placing her hand over his before she slowly closed her eyes as she just enjoyed this tender moment. Slowly she lowered one of her legs setting her foot to the floor. She leaned her head back as she felt him pulling out of her, a small moan escaping from her lips.

Slowly stepping away from her, he put his tool away and zipped up his pants, a calmer look on his face. Slowly ran his index finger along her neck as he tilted her chin up and looked at her warmly for the first time in a long time as he said, "…Thank you Karin…", gently he pushed her bangs back and kissed her forehead.

"Do you feel calmer?" she asked as she fixed her bra and slowly buttoned up her top.

He nodded softly before he turned to go gather his gear, he walked away slowly saying calmly, "We better get ready to leave, Kiba and Hinata are probably waiting for us."

"Right...Naruto-kun…" she began as she placed her glasses gently on the bridge of her nose as she walked up behind him and tied his headband around his head as she spoke finishing, "…be careful…I'm tired of watching you be so reckless. You need to listen to me…I've done this once, I don't want to be a tool anymore…whether you like it or not. You are not alone anymore…"

Naruto closed his eyes and quietly responded as he said, "…You're not a tool…but I risk my life so no one ever dies again…but I will try… let's go", he grabbed hold of his sword.

As he turned around she wrapped her arms around him, she buried her face into his chest humbly saying, "Promise me…"

"…I'll be careful Karin…I promise…" he warmly said as he set his free hand on top of her head reassuringly. He knew deep inside despite his best efforts he couldn't keep her out, she was as tenacious as he was.

She looked up at him and smiled softly as she replied, "Thank you…" she slowly stopped her embrace of the blond and walked to the door to wait for him.

The two made their way out the front door, and quickly made their way to the gates of the village. So they could leave, for their mission. As they arrived Naruto quickly took note that Kiba and Hinata had changed into more suitable attire for the mission.

Kiba wore a black sleeveless long coat which had a fur lining the sleeves appeared to have been ripped off. A long sleeved shirt was worn under the coat, bandage wraps around his wrists with fingerless gloves, and some camouflage cargo pants, with a set of hand axes at his sides. And naturally Akamaru was with him as well as the two were inseparable.

Hinata's wardrobe looked to be that of a more confident girl, wearing a violet hooded coat that came to her knees, the Hyuuga Clan Symbol was embroidered on the back. Under the coat she was wearing a rather tight tank top, and lastly a pair of black cargo pants, with a holster for kunai and shuriken on each leg.

"We will be commencing the mission now. If I tell any of you to get out of my way, do it. I don't want you to get hurt." spoke the blond as he strode past the two and walked through the gates. He pulled the hood up over his head quietly, his laid-back expression soon changed, his eyes became more aggressive looking, more wild.

Kiba sighed and held his hands up as he rolled his eyes, "And what will we be doing? You obviously don't have much need for us!"

"I do have use for you, we may need to track whoever is responsible, and you three are perfect for this job. Karin is a sensor, Hinata has a Byakkugan, you and Akamaru can track by scent. Beyond that, if it comes down to it, we need to have the ability to fight back, Kiba you are capable of fighting with Taijutsu and some Ninjutsu, we may need it." unflinchingly the blue eyed Jounin explained, as he turned his head back saying, "I'll take Lead, Kiba you bring up the Rear. Karin and Hinata aren't close quarters experts so it is our job to handle any attackers that get too close."

"Understood Naruto-kun" Hinata responded, she answered respectfully, though she had some apprehension about working with him. She hadn't worked along with him since the war had ended she had done her best to distance herself from him since he had become more serious.

"…Fine you're the leader…" grumbled the Inuzuka as he crossed his arms, he eyed the redhead suspiciously, since Naruto wasn't biting his head off yet, he wondered what she did.

Naruto began walking slowly and coldly said "Let's get going. We have a lot of ground to cover…" his voice sounded more distorted from behind the mask like that of a demon. The three other Jounin quickly followed the orange clad shinobi knowing well he would go on without them.

As the group traveled they eventually switched to travel utilizing the tree tops to move towards their destination. As they traveled, Naruto's eyes widened for a moment as he saw a figure for a moment that looked remarkably like Tayuya of the Sound Four, only older. He pushed the thought to the back of his head he figured he was imagining things.

As time went on, he swore he saw more members of the Sound Four, he forced the thoughts back, it wasn't like these people could have been brought back. There was no way, it was impossible.

Eventually they reached the Great Naruto Bridge, but before they began to cross it, Naruto stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes turned to the empty Grave that was near the Bridge, the one that belonged to Haku.

"…It took them long enough to notice Shinobi missing from their graves…not to mention people just vanishing in the areas I took the bodies from." came a familiar voice full of smugness, from above, the squad quickly looked above noticing a figure with one eye covered. The trademark bangs, hair sticking up on the sides, one sharingan active. Uchiha Sasuke was alive and well.

Clad in a near identical version of his attire from their last confrontation, the shirt now had long sleeves, and was now black the obi belt was now a crimson red, with the every familiar Kusanagi Blade resting at his hip. "And for them to send you make it ever more worthy it. Aww, did you really think you were capable of killing me? You were merely lucky..." the rogue ninja said with smugness to his voice as he suddenly vanished and appeared at the center of the group. He turned his head, his crimson eye focusing on Karin.

"You think you can kill me, is that it?" Naruto responded calmly until he gripped the handle of his sword and jerked the sword free from the scabbard revealing a branch sword, which bore eight bladed prongs, as opposed to the normal six. He rushed forward pulling the blade back ready to cut the depraved shinobi down.

"…Heh…so quick to anger…that's just like you. Or is it…the Redeemer of Fallen Shinobi has a chink in his armor…" heartlessly the Uchiha replied as he unsheathed his blade and blocked the strike of the sword. He put some pressure against the pronged blade and shoved it away effortlessly. A smug look on his face as he hopped back shouldering the blade, speaking with arrogance, "You, you're just a shadow of your former self. You can't beat me."

"Is that so…" the blonde said in a cool headed manner as rolled his shoulders and slipped his arms out of his coat allowing the heavy coat to fall to the ground lightly. The numerous tattoos covering his arms were in plain view, he smirked as a wild look filled his eyes. He ran his thumb over his sword nicking his thumb before he ran it along one of the tattoos summoning fourth a snake, which coiled about his arm before regurgitating a sword eerily comparable to the Sword of Kusanagi of Orochimaru.

Naruto took the sword from the snake, allowing it to retreat back into his arm to resume being a tattoo of an Ouroboros. The tattooed shinobi held the blades out and lunged forward slashing and thrusting the blades forward rolling the hilts off his fingers, exchanging them from hand to hand.

Hinata's eyes widened as she watched the fluent motions of the blades, was this the power Naruto now wielded? Kenjutsu comparable to gentle fist, summoning from tattoos, who did Naruto gain this power from, it was frightening.

"Naruto-kun! Be careful, it's a trap! I sense more chakra signatures in the area!" Karin shouted as she felt an eerily familiar chakra in the area. Not just one but more, but they were keeping hidden.

"Not today dobe! Tayuya now!!" shouted the raven haired shinobi as he had enough of defending attacks from someone he felt was beneath him. As he commanded an entrancing melody from a flute rang out through the area, causing the four shinobi to feel as if they were bound by chains.

The red head soon revealed herself her hair was in a braid that came to mid back, wearing a black jacket with red embroidery of a music note on each shoulder. A gray tank top with a mesh material around the neck, the Otogakure Hitae-ate tied about her waist, and black jeans.

"As it turns out Karin was right for once. I had a trap set for you. You think you've done enough to contend with me…hardly. You are still pitifully weak. There is a reason why I exposed myself, so I can let you know, I'm going to destroy the Ninja World your so fond of. I perfected **Edo Tensei**…no I made a True Edo Tensei, three lives for the restoration of one...a fair trade." Sasuke explained as he ripped off the cloth that covered his other eye revealing he had a Byakkugan implanted. He scowled at Naruto and held his sword to the orange clad ninja's neck.

When Hinata saw the Byakkugan, she was mortified it meant that a member of her clan was killed in battle and only for the purpose of the eye. "YOU'RE A MONSTER SASUKE!!! WHO DID YOU KILL FOR THAT EYE!?" she screamed in rage tears filling her eyes, she had heard a member of the clan went missing and this was the result.

"It could end that easily. But…I want to destroy the world you helped create…I want you to suffer…" rasped the Uchiha as he sheathed his blade, and quickly kicked Naruto in the gut. He then shifted his cold gaze at Hinata and smiled deviously, "Shut up. You Hyuuga have been coddled and treated like something sacred for too long. You are just another group of Shinobi with an inferior Kekkei Genkai. I only use this rubbish Dojutsu until I can get my hands on a ninja with good enough surgical skills to implant my brother's eyes."

"Ugh!! You son of a bitch! You're so fixated on avenging the _wrongs_ that befell the Uchiha that you would violate the laws of Nature!? " Naruto snarled out as he tried to fight the genjutsu and get free so he could kill the twisted man who stood in front of him.

"Violating? No you misunderstand, I will rewrite those laws! As for why I'm doing it. That's simple, I want you to be broken before I kill you. I want you lose everything…lose everything to those you wished you could save!" seethed the dark clad ninja as he then looked at the bespectacled Kunoichi who was looking at him with disgust as he sniffed the air about her lightly, saying dryly and impersonally, "So you've gone from clinging to the arm of the rightful heir of the Rikudou Sennin's legacy, to sleeping with the usurper. I can smell it on you."

Karin scowled and spit in the crimson eyed male's face and said with disgust, "Usurper? I know I'm sleeping with a real man, which you must know about after all you like the feel of your own sword up your ass." as she said this, the Uchiha struck her across the face.

He glared angrily as he tried to resist activating his Mangekyo Sharingan, he grit his teeth and looked at her contemptuously. "Tayuya keep them here long enough for me to gather the people for the sacrifice. Time to add an impenetrable defense to my army." he impersonally ordered the red head, as he walked past Naruto stopping and saying with spite in his voice, "Oh…here I got something for you…", as he said that he pulled his katana from the scabbard and slashed the blond downward through the chest. Not cutting deep enough to injure him, but enough to leave another scar.

"…Now we're even. One for my eye and another for running me through..." coldly the dark haired shinobi said as he strode off before taking to the trees.

"Naruto, tell me you have a plan…" spoke the feral Inuzuka as he shifted his gaze to Naruto, hoping the infamous Uzumaki Naruto had a plan. He saw the blank expression on Naruto's face, had he finally cracked under the pressure?

"You won't be getting out of this until I decide. Well, well, well, little Karin turned out to be a whore. Just so you know…I always fucking hated you. Orochimaru-sama always treated you like you were some precious child…" Tayuya stated with agitation as she put the flute away, stepping up to Karin, she grabbed the redhead by the hair and threw her to the ground. She proceeded to stomp on her repeatedly, placing her foot on Karin's neck. Tayuya ground her foot against the younger Kunoichi's neck before stepping back and kicking her hard in the ribs, smirking with a sadistic enjoyment of it.

"…Leave her alone…" Naruto growled as he looked at the foulmouthed kunoichi trying to break free from the hold of the Genjutsu.

"Oh shut the fuck up! Wait, I remember you…you helped that piece of shit who killed me!" Tayuya responded as she walked over to the blond, she punched him in the stomach glaring hatefully at him. As he doubled over, the Kunoichi brought her knee to his stomach for another blow as she said with sickening delight, "If only I could kill you…but he made it clear, he gets to kill you."

"Naruto-kun! Break the Genjutsu! If you don't do something…" Hinata exclaimed as she looked at him with worry when suddenly she felt a spike in his chakra. She activated the Byakkugan and she saw the expansion of chakra flowing through him. _'Is it Sage Mode?'_ she thought to herself as she watched.

"I know…" coolly Naruto spoke as he released his swords and grabbed Tayuya by the wrist having broken free of the Genjutsu that paralyzed him. He twisted her arm into a modified arm bar shaking his finger at her with his other hand.

"The fuck…?" was all the lone female from the Sound Four could say as she was suddenly whipped right into a nearby tree. Before she could react a knee struck her right on the side of the head as Naruto performed a running knee strike.

"I doubt she would feel too talkative right now…" he quipped as he backed off and caught the redhead as her unconscious body fell over.

"How long were you waiting to play that card? Shouldn't you have had that ready to go before Sasuke showed up?" complained Kiba as he looked at Naruto questioningly.

"He needs to think I'm weak, Chain her up. Let's see if Ino can convince her to talk. We need to find out where Sasuke is holed up." he nonchalantly said as he tossed the unconscious young woman to the ground.

Akamaru sniffed the young woman curiously as Kiba pulled out a chain to bind the her up properly. "Do you really think she knows much about him?" asked the brown haired male as he lifted the kunoichi to his shoulders.

Naruto walked over to Karin and helped her to her feet, his eyes fading back to normal, "Hard to tell. He probably thinks by bringing them back he will have their unending loyalty." he said as he pulled Karin to her feet.

"Naruto-kun…we should bandage you up first." Hinata pleaded with him, worried that he was going to bleed to death before they got back.

He pulled the shirt up showing the wound was shallow, leaving only a thin scar, he reassuringly said, "I'm fine…now lets get going…", slowly he picked up his coat and donned it once more before he picked up his weapons. Slowly he slid the branch sword into the scabbard, slowly he ran his left thumb over a small seal on the summoned long sword allowing it to return to home, in the belly of the snake.

"Hey aren't you going to make sure Tazuna and his family are alright? And what about stopping him from sacrificing the people he's gathering!?" Kiba interjected since he had heard Naruto's first major mission was across the bridge.

"Tazuna, Inari, and Tsunami have been dead for three years, and its already too late to stop him from bringing back Haku he isn't so sloppy as to tell us what he's about to do he just wants us to waste our time…" responded Naruto as he kept walking forward, revealing it hadn't just been what happened with Sasuke that cause his shift in personality.

The brown haired shinobi decided to ask, "…Did Sasuke kill them?" he had to know the truth.

The blond stopped and looked back and gave a nod before turning and walking forward. "I said let's go, we have a lot of ground to cover. She should be out for a short while, no telling how long until she wakes up." Naruto said as he walked down the road, he clenched his right fist in agitation he would have to do something otherwise the people who died would have died in vain.

What was the point really? He forfeited the Kyuubi to the Death God, losing a mass of his strength to stop Madara. Only for Sasuke to turn around and want to kill him, it was as if he wouldn't try and form a lasting peace. He couldn't forgive Sasuke for all the sins he committed, he would have to die.

'_I'll kill that son of a bitch…I'm sorry Ero-sennin but sometimes you can't forgive people. And sometimes they're just too far gone. A world where people can understand each other has to wait, this is still a world where old hatreds refuse to die.' _thought the young man to himself as he walked quietly shifting his gaze to the redhaired Kunoichi who was following him. "…Are you alright Karin?" he asked her in concern since she had been beaten worse than any of them.

"Naruto-kun, don't worry about me. I'm fine…" she responded as she rubbed her ribcage, putting on her best tough face. She was hurting some, but it wasn't anything serious. Years of abuse, years of being beaten, years of being bitten into she had gotten used to pain, it didn't faze her anymore

As the group traveled, Hinata stared at Karin, _'…could Sasuke have been right? Are they…'_ she thought to herself. She couldn't help but wonder if the rogue ninja was telling the truth. She relinquished her fondness of Naruto the moment he began changing, he started to scare her, he was just so full of hatred when he thought he killed Sasuke, then people from around the continent started dieing, people he had helped, she saw it changed him. It scared her when he started acting more aggressive, that wasn't the Naruto she knew anymore.

The group would eventually reach Konoha, Naruto pulled the hood of his coat down, and turned picking up the unconscious female and resting her over his shoulder. "I will go drop her off and report to the Hokage. Karin you go to the Medical Corp. Kiba, Hinata, thank you for your assistance…sorry it was a waste of your time…" spoke the Jounin as he looked to the others, Kiba looked rather shocked that Naruto, actually thanked them.

"…You thanked me?" the Inuzuka heir asked in shock, it was really out there for that to happen.

"…Yeah. You got a problem with it?" Naruto responded as he removed his mask, looking at the dog using shinobi coldly.

The Inuzuka's eye twitched as he stepped forward and poked the blond Jounin in the chest saying, "Yeah, you never thank anyone!"

"Whatever. I was told I need to stop criticizing those I work with. But poke me again, and I will put that finger in a very uncomfortable place." the former Jinchuuriki said as he looked at Kiba with a vicious look, a look that said, he would do something unspeakable to the brunette if he continued to agitate him. When Kiba stepped back and raised his hands in surrender, Naruto turned and walked down the street in silence.

"Feh whatever…the guy is still a total jackass! Come on Akamaru, let's go home!" Kiba complained as he put his hands behind his head, Akamaru barking at the black clad Jounin following him as the two went home. At least at home he would only be bossed around by family.

As Naruto and Kiba both left, Hinata turned to look at Karin who had been leaving for the Medical Corp to get examined. "Is it true. Are you and Naruto-kun…sleeping together?" quietly the Hyuuga Heiress asked, it bothered her to say the least, Naruto never let anyone in.

After a mission that had gone wrong, Naruto stopped letting others in, he blamed himself. It was the fact that as a leader, he had gotten Chouji killed, Shikamaru severely injured, and Lee had nearly been killed. After the incident, Naruto left for a year, to train, to become stronger. She was at first happy to see he returned to the village, but slowly she heard he had become more aggressive, he had changed to that of a more aggressive shinobi. It scared her.

Karin stopped and looked back at Hinata, it had to be brought up, saying with annoyance, "Do we have to talk about this now?"

"Yes. Because Naruto-kun doesn't let anyone in…he stopped doing that two years ago." responded the dark haired girl as she looked at the redhead wanting answers.

The bespectacled Kunoichi clenched her fists and looked at the ground for a moment, and said with resolution, "…You heard what I said back there. I do it for him…there is no emotion to it, I'm letting him use me, his burden frustrates him…so I will gladly let him use me"

Hinata's eyes widened with shock, she heard the explanation Karin was letting Naruto use her. "Why…why do you do it?"

"Because I love him. I don't love him for how he is now, but for who he is deep down inside. I have hopes that it will one day return. The Naruto, that would never give up, that had a reason to keep fighting. But until then…I'm the only one who can do it…I know you loved him at one time. But you're a nice girl, you don't have it in you to do this…" Karin explained, revealing her reasons weren't all too selfish, it was all for Naruto, if she could help relieve the stress he had she would do it. "Now if you don't mind. I better go to the Medical Corp, I'm starting to feel a little bit sore from being stomped on." she said as she began to walk towards the Medical Corp, like she was told to do, rubbing her side as she felt the bruises starting to form.

Naruto walked down the street and walked to a bunker that was the new ANBU headquarters. He walked through the door and walked through reaching the interrogation section of ANBU, he quickly tossed Tayuya to the floor. "How would you like to interrogate a girl who should be dead?" he asked as he looked to Ino who was sitting at her desk.

Ino's appearance changed in three years, she was curvier for one thing, but she had matured as well. Her hair was no longer in a pony tail, her long hair cascaded over her shoulders and down her back. She wore a shirt jacket that came off at her midsection, a belly baring top which bore floral embroidery, which had a sheer violet material that covered her belly. She wore her leaf headband about her waist like a belt, accentuating her purple skirt, fish net about her thighs with a knife strapped to her right thigh.

She looked at Naruto and shook her head, "You never just come to see me…wait what do you mean should be dead…? She looks alive to me!" she said with some puzzlement in her voice as she looked to the unconscious girl.

"This is Tayuya of the Sound Four…that bastard Sasuke is alive, and he used a Kinjutsu to bring her back from the grave! I know she's dead because Shikamaru and Temari killed her, six years ago!" he explained as he knelt down and formed a hand seal placing his index and middle fingers to the females head, using a mild medical ninjutsu to wake her from unconsciousness.

"You will tell us what you know about Sasuke." he nonchalantly said as he gripped one of the chains that bound Tayuya, and lifted her to her feet.

"…Feh, whatever…like I'm gonna tell a limp dicked bastard anything…" she vulgarly responded as she glared at Naruto.

Ino stepped over with a menacing look to her cornflower blue eyes, as she sweetly said, "Oh…you better hope I find out what we need to know. Because Naruto has been known to get the information we seek and his methods are less friendly than the standard practices of the Interrogation Unit."

Naruto looked to Ino and nodded his head, "I'm going to report to the Hokage…find out what you can." he told the platinum blond kunoichi as he turned to leave. He walked out the door leaving Ino to do what she does best.

Ino watched as Naruto walked out of the room, she then looked almost too pleased to have the former member of the Sound Four in her department. "…Ohhh…I imagine your mind has plenty of secrets we can look through..." she chimed as she put her index finger against Tayuya's forehead, looking at her with viciousness.

"Lock her up. I'll begin the process tomorrow…" she ordered a nearby Chuunin, as she looked at the Otogakure Kunoichi with a look that could make even Ibiki cringe.

Several minutes later Naruto was at the Hokage Tower, Shikamaru was there waiting for him. He leaned against his crutch, after the failed mission a few years back, he needed a cane to walk. "...Naruto, we have to talk about the mission…" he dryly said as he looked at the brutal shinobi.

"…What's there to talk about? I was in charge, I fucked up, Chouji died because I wasn't prepared, you ended up crippled, and Lee almost died! End of story." the orange clad blond responded with displeasure, he hated to remember the mission where he screwed up.

He shook his head and looked seriously at the blond and said sternly, "We were in over our heads! We didn't know that Nuke-nin was that deadly. It wasn't just you. When you stop blaming yourself for others dieing, you can move on. Shinobi die, we have to get used to it."

"It was my fault, I was team leader…and I don't want to get used to it…especially when there was something I could have done." responded the blond as he walked past the Chuunin and entered the building.

Shikamaru hung his head as sighed in agitation saying, "You have to let go of the past. You were able to forgive Pein, but it seems when you are to blame you can't forgive yourself…"

Naruto walked through the building making his way to the top floor, he stepped towards the office, and pulled the doors open. "Naruto, what do you have to report…" Kakashi spoke as he looked up from a scroll, hoping that the problem was dealt with.

"Uchiha Sasuke, is alive." replied the blond as he took a seat across from the Hokage.

"I was afraid of such…we never found the body…give me the details Naruto." responded the one eyed Kage.

"We encountered him near the Great Naruto Bridge, Haku's grave was empty, he wanted to destroy the entire Ninja World. He also said he's looking to get his hands on the Surgeon so he can implant Itahci's eyes." Naruto began as he gripped the arms of the chair gritting his teeth in frustration as he continued saying in a voice filled with rage, "He's using Kinjutsu some perfected form of Edo Tensei. We brought back one of the resurrected, Tayuya of the Sound Four, I took her to the Interrogation Division of ANBU to find out what we can about Sasuke."

Kakashi held his head in his hands sighing softly as he said in response, "…This isn't good. If Sasuke has revived Tayuya he must have revived the rest of the Sound Four as well as Kaguya Kimimaro."

"…What do we do…?" asked the blond as he stared quietly at his former teacher, he didn't really have an idea of what to do.

"…We wait until we have information from the detainee you captured. We can't act until we know what we're up against." responded Kakashi as he looked at his student, as he continued with, "Go home and relax if you can, as of now you are on vacation."

Naruto's lips curled into a look of displeasure, as he stood to his feet and slammed his hands on the desk. "I can't do that! I'm the only capable shinobi that should be sent out!" he complained as he looked at the Hokage with irritation.

"Not, a request. Go home. When something comes up, that only you can do, we will call for you. You are not the only ninja in Konoha." he responded as he looked sternly at the blond.

Naruto turned and walked to the door responded with agitation to his voice as he said, "Fine…"

Hours later, night had come. Naruto was sitting quietly in the middle of his living room his shirt was removed as he ran his fingers over the scars on his chest. As he thought about Haku being brought back from the grave, the thought of someone as caring as Haku being used as a tool by Sasuke began to infuriate him.

He snapped out of his daze when Karin knelt behind him and wrapped her arms around him. Whether he liked it or not, he had let her in. He found out during the course of the day during the encounter with Sasuke. He had a fondness for Karin and there was no helping it.

"It's going to be okay Naruto-kun…" she whispered as she rested her head against his back, she wanted to support him, but it was harder said than done. She knew it was a catalyst that would affect him she feared he would become more distant than he already was.

He slowly put his hand over hers as he looked down, quietly saying, "You know its going to be dangerous for you to associate with me right?"

She lifted her head smiled softly as she shook her head, she brought her lips closer to his ear and whispered "I don't care Sasuke would kill me anyway because I betrayed him years ago…"

"…Have it your way…" he tranquilly replied as he shifted his gaze to the side and looked at her, a faint smile on his face. He didn't want to fight her on it. Not tonight at least. He was tired of fighting for one day. He then spoke softly as he was looking at her, "I was told to try and relax…think you can help me…?"

"I believe I can…" she coyly replied as she looked at him affectionately before nuzzling his shoulder quietly.

**Author's notes: There it is, the first chapter I felt like a change of pace for the time being. I will get back to work on AAP and Sounds when I feel up to it. There will be a harem of sorts in this story. The harem is pretty much decided on.**


	2. The Redemption Song I

**Author's Notes: Time to continue the story. There will be violence! There will be controversy! There will be blood! There will also be snoo snoo! The redemption song will begin in this chapter. **

It was early morning, the first night in a long time that Naruto had been able to get a restful sleep. The slender figure of Karin was nestled closely to his, her head resting lightly on his chest. The sheets and blanket barely covered the two as they slept soundly.

The activities of the two were a definite factor in this comfortable rest, as could be noted by the serene look on the blonde's face as he slept. His right arm wrapped about her as he held her close, it was as if he knew deep inside he wanted her at his side. As he slumbered, he was dreaming.

_He was standing in the middle of a open field, the sun was overhead, darkness soon cast itself over the field as the moon eclipsed the sun. As the moon moved away the field was hued two different colors. Red on his left, Blue on his right, as he looked to the sky, the Sun now was a Sharingan while the Moon was a Rinnegan. He looked about left and right trying to find the explanation for this change._

"_You are at your crossroads in your life…" spoke the familiar voice of Itachi from the left as he was perched on a pile of bones his eyes covered with a strip of cloth. The familiar Akatsuki cloak was beaten, ragged, and torn as if to represent the torment he endured in his life. _

"_Itachi what are you-" Naruto began as the Uchiha vanished from his perch on the bones._

_The blinded Shinobi stood beside Naruto as he continued, "…You aren't ready. The last time we spoke those years ago. In the end it was inevitable. The Uchiha are damned by their pride. You have the resolve to end the war. You have the ability. But you lack the strength to do it. Your heart has grown weaker without the bonds of others."_

_The scenery changed and soon resembled a battlefield. Corpses strewn about as the flames of Amaterasu burned down all buildings. From a puddle a rippling formed as two drops of rain hit a puddle in unison, slowly Nagato appeared before Naruto. Not looking as he did when they met but as he did in his prime. "This is the future that will be if you continue down the road of a lone wolf." he solemnly spoke as he shifted his gaze to Naruto, before walking through the battlefield, before he stopped beside a corpse as he spoke tersely, "Come and look…"_

_The blond walked towards the corpse, and once he saw it clearly, he saw the dead body was his and it wasn't alone, Karin's prone lifeless body was laid on top of his. His eyes widened in shock and horror. "…No…"_

"_No matter how far you distance yourself…they will find a way in. This isn't a war you can win on your own. No war is ever won on your own. I didn't eliminate Hanzo on my own. Konan was at my side. As was Yahiko in spirit." the bearer of the Rinnegan explained as he shifted his gaze to Naruto._

"_No." was all the blond was able to say. The sight of Karin being lifeless filled him with dread._

"_When you stop blaming yourself and let others in you will have the strength." the red haired shinobi said as he stared at Naruto unemotionally._

"_NO!!!" he shouted as he clutched his head his body beginning to falter._

He suddenly sat up with a gasp, his brow covered in sweat, and his breathing more erratic. He looked down at his hands, they were shaking the terror of the dreamed had carried over.

"...Naruto-kun…" the redhead cooed incoherently in her sleep as she rolled over, her nude figure illuminated by the moonlight.

A look of relief came over his face as he looked at her, he was calmed to see she was all right. But he knew that it wasn't a dream. He knew it wasn't and he didn't want it to come true.

"…Karin…" he whispered a she looked at her serene form. He wished deep down inside he could reciprocate the feelings she held for him, but he refused to out of fear for her safety.

"…Naruto-kun…? What's wrong…?" she asked groggily as she opened her eyes to look at him. She was a light sleeper as it turned out to be.

He slowly turned away setting his feet to the floor as he sat on the edge of the bed, "Nothing…just a bad dream…" was his reply.

"It was just a dream, come back to bed…" she groggily replied as she wrapped her arms around him. She rested her chin on his shoulder doing her best to comfort him, feeling through his chakra that something had upset him. She slowly pulled her away as she slid back under the covers, as she motioned for him to come back to bed.

He was hiding something from her, he always did this, he acted as if the burden of the world was his to carry, not wanting to let others help him. It was admirable. But she wished she would be let in to his world instead of having to force her way in. She wanted see the true Naruto again, not this cold hearted one who hid behind a mask.

"…Yeah…" he responded as he looked to his side at Karin, a look of mixed emotion in his eyes as he slipped under the covers. As soon as he was settled in the redhead snuggled close to him, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck. He settled down and closed his eyes, hopeful that he might sleep without another dream.

But in the forests on the outskirts of Konoha, a girl limped towards the gates. Long brown hair, her body looked beaten and exhausted as her clothes. The green vest was ripped and barely hanging on, her pants with a superfluous skirt also beaten and worn out. Tsuchi Kin was back from the grave as well, but she seemed to have gone rogue. She had been aged through Sasuke's sharingan. But how long had she been back.

Her eyes were glazing over as she drew closer to Konoha, her body was giving out. She needed to get to the village for some reason. As she reached the gates the two Chuunin, one male one female, who were on watch prepared to stop her, pulling kunai from their holsters. As they pulled their weapons out she collapsed to the ground in front of them, but she looked up at them and spoke a scant few words.

"Must…stop…Uchiha Sasuke…" as she spoke these words she passed out.

The male knelt down to check the unconscious Kunoichi for a pulse, as he did he found that her body was growing cold and her pulse was dropping. "Go get Haruno Sakura. NOW! I'll get her to the Medical Corp!" he shouted as he looked at his colleague with some worry for the young woman's well being.

"Right!" she shouted as she took flight and headed for Sakura's residence as quickly as possible.

"Hang on! We're gonna get you some help!" shouted the man as he applied a weak medical jutsu hoping to sustain the kunoichi until a medical ninja could take over. He hefted the girl onto his shoulders and rushed with her to the Medical Corp so they could handle it.

Moments later, at the Medical Corp. Sakura looked down at the unconscious girl, the fact Tsuchi Kin was alive bothered her. "…Send an ANBU to bring Naruto here. I need to talk to him." she ordered another medical ninja as she resumed treating the weak Kunoichi.

"Yes Sakura-san." the kunoichi responded as she quickly left to go find an ANBU.

"…She's severely dehydrated, malnourished, and exhausted. She's lucky to be alive…" commented the green eyed kunoichi as she sat down and just watched for a moment. Naruto was keeping something from her, something he should have told her when he got back.

A short time later, a beating came on the door of Naruto's home, the blonde's eyes slowly opened as he quickly grabbed some clothes and walked to the door. "The one time I actually get some sleep…and the dead and living won't let me sleep…" he grumbled as he slowly walked to the door gripping the knob and opened the doorway. A look of disdain crossed his visage as he saw an ANBU on the other side, "…What is it?" he groggily said as he looked at the masked ninja.

"You are needed at the Medical Corp, by order Haruno Sakura." spoke the shinobi, as he stood in front of the tattooed ninja.

Naruto pushed his hand through his hair as he yawned he responded in an irritable tone saying, "Fine…I'll be there as soon as I'm dressed."

With a quick nod the ANBU left without a trace.

He closed the door and walked back to his bedroom he pulled his shirt on and pulled on his belt.

"What is it Naruto-kun…?" Karin quietly asked as she rubbed her eyes, as she pulled the sheets about herself before donned her glasses.

"Something is going on at the Medical Corp. Apparently Sakura needs to speak to me about something..." he wryly explained as he slipped his arms into his coat pulling it over his shoulders. He sat on the edge of the bed as he pulled his sandals on. He turned his head and looked at her coolly before standing to his feet and saying unenthused, "…Lock up before you leave. I have the feeling its going to be one of those days"

"…Alright…" she quietly said as she laid back down, slowly removing her glasses and setting them on the nightstand again.

He walked to the doorway of the room and stopped, "Thank you for last night…" he said in a kinder tone before he bolted through the house, closing the door behind him before he rushed to the medical corp.

He took to the rooftops to allow him to get their much more quickly. If she sent an ANBU it must have been important. She would never send an ANBU for a social call, something must have happened. As he dropped to the ground, she was standing there waiting for him.

"This was." she snappily told him, looking at him coldly, a great distance put between them with her knowledge that Sasuke was undeniably alive. The fact he hadn't told her about it, and she had to learn about it from Ino.

He walked over to her and followed her quietly, slipping his hands in his pockets as he walked alongside her, sardonically saying "What was so urgent it couldn't wait until morning?"

She stopped and pointed to Kin who was sleeping soundly in a bed, she then shot her emerald green gaze to the male and responded with agitation to her voice, "How about you tell me."

Naruto turned to look, his eyes widened, he remembered her well. Tsuchi Kin. Defeated by Shikamaru during the Chuunin Exams, and by all accounts she was used by Orochimaru as a sacrifice to summon the first and second Hokage's using **Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei**.

"This is why I called you here. Now tell me…why didn't you come tell me about Sasuke as soon as you got back yesterday?" she asked with irritation to her voice as she leaned against a wall, she glowered at him as she shifted her eyes to focus her attention on him.

He looked to the floor clenching his fists, responding in a callous manner as he replied, "I have my reasons."

She shook her head and grabbed him by the arm dragging him outside of the building. She didn't want to wake any of the patients with what was about to take place. Once she was outside she, slapped him across the face, with no hesitation as she exclaimed, "You have your reasons!? That is always your answer! I'm sick of it! Stop trying to protect me by pushing me away! None of what happened is your fault!"

His eyes widened with some surprise, reaching up he touched his cheek which stung with the shock of her slap. He soon looked at her with irritation, as he quickly said with anger to his voice, "I'm sick of you guys always telling me it isn't my fault! I failed, I failed too often! I was weak!"

"What do you call this? Strength? No you're not strong! In fact you're no better than Sasuke! He never let others in. He treated others like they were in the way!" she snapped back as she stepped closer to the male, as she gripped him by the collar of his coat pushing him against a wall that encircled the Medical Corp.

He scowled at her as he leaned his head back, replying in a agitated manner, "Don't compare me to him…"

"It takes more strength to stop running from the past! Chouji didn't die in vain! He died as a Shinobi should! Defending his comrades, and you know this! It was the first thing Kakashi-sensei taught us! Shinobi who disobey orders are scum, but Shinobi who sacrifice comrades for orders are worse than scum!" she quickly scolded him as she looked him in the eye and released her hold on his coat turning and walking to the building, saying calmly while she walked, "think about it Naruto."

He leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down his face was filled with a look of disbelief. Had he been running from the past? "Have I been running? Have I become like Sasuke?" he asked himself aloud as he lifted his head to look to the sky as the sun began peeking out across the horizon.

Despite years of travel through the Shinobi World to acquire the ability to stand toe to toe with any opponent. He was still indeed weak, his lack of bonds with others, his insistence that without them he would be unhindered. He did it so he could have the strength to protect others.

Slowly he stood to his feet and walked from the Medical Corp. He needed to channel his building anger, the very way Sakura lectured him, set off a chain of rage that had been building. Just who the hell did she think she was to lecture him? She had no right. She had no idea how much the past had effected him.

He needed to get to the training grounds. He could channel his anger through some training. It was the only way to handle this kind of irritation, to release it through some intense training.

As he reached the training grounds he rolled his shoulders slowly slipping out of his coat and tossing it to the side. He casually rolled his shoulders as he loosened up, when suddenly he heard footsteps from behind, he quickly pivoted on the heel, to see who it was.

"Hello Naruto." casually Tenten spoke as she walked towards him, shouldering a bo staff as she walked past him. Her clothing hadn't changed all too much in the years, the cheongshan top was now black with red trim, a pair of hakama as pants with several summoning scrolls strapped to her legs, her hair no longer in the familiar buns, but a long braid that descended down her back. Her headband was not tied around her head, more than likely due to her having a day off.

He turned his head and walked away indifferently, he wasn't feeling all to up to dealing with her at the moment.

The weapon mistress' eyes narrowed, she had about all she could of his new attitude, she spun the staff about and brought it low across the ground bringing it to the back of the blonde's legs sweeping him to the ground. "You know, you may look like a man. But you act like a boy." she said as she rested her shoulder staff across her shoulders.

"…Who the hell do you think you are?" he growled as lay on the ground, slowly standing to his feet, as he stood he saw her motioning for him to come at her, he then said, "You want to fight? Fine!"

He bit his left thumb breaking the skin and spread the blood over the tattoo of the Ouroboros Medallion, then across his forearm over a tattoo of a black Katana resting in the skull of an Oni with a raven perched atop the sword. Slowly the white snake slithered out of his arm coiling around his body before regurgitating the white handled long sword, which he grasped in his left hand. The snake retreated back into the tattoo, this was followed by the raven on the forearm taking flight and landing on the ground beside Naruto.

A pattern for summoning spread across the ground slowly the handle of the black katana appeared from the ground as it rose from the ground. As it finished rising through the ground, the skull of the Oni appeared glowing blue light coming from the eye sockets of the skull. He wrapped his fingers about the hilt of the katana pulling it free of the skull, once he did this the Skull retreated to the ground and the raven returned to his arm to resume being a tattoo.

"So it's true. Those are summoning tattoos. But you know, that isn't going to stop me from kicking some sense into you!" she remarked as she pulled a scroll from her leg and bit her thumb spreading her blood across a seal within the scroll summoning a pair of sabers which she deftly caught in her hands.

He lunged forward thrusting the straight bladed sword forward which was quickly knocked aside. He frowned his anger getting the better of him, as he rushed forward again bringing the katana upward only for it to be knocked away. As an opening was created the brunette kicked him square in the ribs knocking the wind out of him.

Blow for blow Tenten parried, blocked, and knocked away each strike. And with each opening created she kicked, punched, or struck the blond. She was increasingly growing bored with each attack she dealt to the shinobi. "Calm down Naruto! Your anger is weakening your attacks!" she exclaimed as she knocked away another strike bringing her knee into his midsection knocking him back again.

He took a deep breath as he spun back crouching with the blades held upward his left leg stretched behind him. _'…To be a Swordsman of unparalleled might, I need to be calm. The River patiently carves away at the Mountain…'_ he thought to himself as he brought the blades in a downward arc as he caught the blades of the Kunoichi grinding the blades against one another.

The two then began evenly trading blows, strike for strike the two were now evenly matched. Calming himself was one step towards having the strength he needed. He had let his anger, his frustrations, and his past rule him. He was of no use in this state. He would need to find a way to calm the anger that dwelled inside of him.

They continued to spar, the blows exchanged between the blades of the two ninja as they moved as if they belonged in a Wuxiong film. Gracefully the blades arced to and fro, the clanging of steel ringing out through the air. The two leaped back and rushed swiftly, running headlong towards one another. The blades met once more, and in a moment capturing the intensity of the contest of the two the swords were knocked loose from their hands.

The blades flew through the air and landed piercing the ground in each of the cardinal directions. The two stood across from one another bent over breathing hard, Tenten's cheeks were tinged a light pink as she looked at him quietly. Slowly she walked towards him, "I want to hold your sword…" she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Sure. It's over there…" he responded calmly, as he pointed off to one of his swords, until she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"No. You're _sword_…" she explained with some emphasis on the world sword, as she lightly pressed her thigh against his groin to help clear the confusion of what she meant.

"…What about Neji…?" he asked as looked at her, trying his best to end this moment, despite the animalistic instincts that were doing their best to overtake him. He could have meaningless sex with Karin, because it really wasn't meaningless sex. He actually felt something akin to love for Karin, but with Tenten he still viewed her as a friend.

"You've only been back for a few months…but it became clear in that time while you were gone, it wouldn't work out. And I am really, _really_ frustrated…" she explained as she looked at him with a lustful look in her eyes, hooking her fingers into his belt.

He grabbed her by the wrists trying to fight off her advances, "…we can't…I could put you in…" he tried to reason with her when she suddenly kissed him.

She parted from the kiss and looked at him shaking her head, "If you're worried about my safety…be a man and protect me. Not like I need protecting." she responded as she tugged on his belt once again.

It was clear she wasn't going to take no for an answer, he forgot who he was dealing with. She was one of the few kunoichi he had met who was so unyielding and would never give up once they had set their mind to it. Of those that came to mind, Sabaku no Temari, Karui, and Karin.

"…Fine…knowing you I won't be able to change your mind…" he responded calmly, as he shook his head lightly, as he began to wonder why only the most stubborn women had to be drawn to him.

She smirked and released her hold on his belt, slowly stepping away from him, as she softly said, "Good. Let's go to my place. I don't have a mission today.", as she walked over to her twin sabers returning them to the scroll.

"Sure…not like I have anything else to do…" he remarked as he collected the two swords and wiped some of the blood from his thumb across the return seals. The katana turned to smoke and flowed like the wind as it returned to his forearm. While the long sword simply turned to mist and clung to his upper arm before vanishing into the ouroboros medallion.

He picked up his coat and pulled it on as he prepared to leave with her. How was it now that he wanted to be left alone by people it was the time that women wanted him most. Perhaps it was true, women want what they can't have.

Moments later at her apartment, as soon as the door was closed and the sandals had come off, she pushed him against the wall and kissed him passionately, as Tenten quickly began to unbuckle his belt. She was wasting no time she quickly broke from the kiss as she unzipped the blonde's pants, as she slowly pulled out the sword she so yearned to hold. A lustful look in her eyes as she looked at him slowly dropping to her knees.

"Tenten what are you doing ngh!!" he tried to ask when he suddenly got his answer, as the brunette took the head of his member into her mouth. He braced himself against the wall as he felt her tongue roll sensuously over the head, as her right hand wrapped about the shaft slowly pumping her hand back and forth.

Slowly she took in the whole length, before pulling her head away from the length, slowly flicking her tongue over the head. "Just relax and enjoy it, Naruto, I know all about your stamina." she responded as she stroked his length slowly unbuttoning her top with her free hand. Once she had her top unbuttoned she pulled it open as she took his tool back into her mouth.

He sighed contently as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Despite the fact he hadn't been expecting it, he liked it.

She pulled her mouth off his cock pumping her hand up and down as she ran her tongue from the base to the tip. Slowly she rolled her tongue in a circular motion before she engulfed him once again. She tilted her head to side slightly as she took him deeper, attempting to deep throat him.

"Ngh! Tenten…" he groaned out as he set his hand on the back of her head, he was losing it as she performed this lewd act on him. His eyes rolled back lightly as he felt as if he was approaching his peak.

She slurped over the length as she moved faster, giving it her best effort to make him come. She was prepared mentally for what was bound to happen.

"Uhhh…Tenten…I'm…I'm gonna…" he gasped out as he grabbed her by the head suddenly, thrusting his member into her mouth as he came. With each spasm of his member he released his thick load into her mouth.

Her eyes widened in shock as he came, she adjusted her head as she deep throated him again and began swallowing his semen with out reluctance. As his tool stopped twitching she slowly removed him from her mouth. She leered lustily as she looked at his cock which was still hard and ready to go, wasting no time in licking the remainders of his come from off as she cleaned him off.

Slowly she stood to her feet and gripped his coat and pulled it off his shoulders pushing it to the floor. "Now…we're going to continue the fun…" she said coyly as dropped her top to the floor and took his hands and placed them on her breasts and softly said.

He gently fondled her through her red lace bra, never once thinking that a tomboy like her would wear such sexy underwear.

She moaned some, as she felt him grope her breasts, her face became tinged a deeper shade as this took place. Regaining her composure for the moment she gripped his shirt and led him to the living room, once there she removed his shirt quickly. Her breathing becoming faster with excitement, as she stared at his toned upper body.

He undid his cargo pants and dropped them to the floor, at the same time she removed her hakama. She hooked her fingers into his boxers and pushed them down with an impassioned look in her eyes. She was wearing of all things a thong, which shocked him once again, which ceased once she pushed him onto the couch and slowly straddled his lap. Slowly she unclasped her bra from the front and dropped it to the floor as she began to rub herself against him.

"I'm a woman Naruto…so…" she began as she paused lifting her hips up and pulled her thong to the side as she lowered her moist mound down towards his tool pushing against it softly, "…treat me like one."

She slowly pressed herself downward and gasped as the head entered her as she quickly braced herself against him. Her eyes widening some as she pushed herself downward, sheathing his sword deep within herself. She tensed up as soon as he was wedged deep within, a small moan escaping her mouth as she leaned her head back.

He rested his hands on her hips, gasping lightly as he felt her tight canal wrap about him. "Tenten…you're so tight…" he said as he ran his hands up her sides and gently cupped her breasts.

Her cheeks became tinged a shade of red as she began to roll her hips, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck as she began to ride his cock. "Nnnh Naruto…so good…" she said in a hushed tone as she slowly leaned back lacing her fingers behind his neck as she pumped herself over his length like a piston.

She closed her eyes as she continued to roll her hips building up a steady pace, her breasts bouncing with each movement. She opened one of her eyes as she caught a glimpse of him with a look of enjoyment on his face. She pulled herself towards him pressing her body against his, running her tongue along his neck, before nipping at his ear. "You like it don't you Naruto?" she said in a hushed whisper as she gripped his head band and pulled it off his forehead tossing it to the side as she gripped his head as she kept pumping herself lusting for more and more.

With each rise of her hips her breasts rubbed up his chest, and with each drop the rubbed back down. Her erect nipples grazing his skin with each movement, a smile of ecstasy on her face as she continued to move herself over his erection more and more. She clutched the side of his head as she kissed him deeply and slipped her tongue into his mouth, their tongues rubbing against one another.

She broke from the kiss and turned herself around, slowly hooking her left arm around his neck as she continued to ride him slowly moving her other hand down to rub where they were connected. "Squeeze my breasts Naruto…" she lustily said as she continually rolled her hips building up a more intense pace as she slammed herself down onto him each time.

He eagerly obliged her request as he squeezed her breasts firmly, running his index finger and thumb along her nipples. "Like that?" he teasingly said as he began to buck his hips not one for letting anyone do all the work a smirk crossing his face as he returned her efforts ten fold.

"YES! Like that!!! Naruto!!!" she screamed out as she sped up her motions bring herself down on him excitedly, it was a duel now as the two worked to see who could make the other come first. Each time she brought herself down her breasts bounced, she had a look on her face that didn't quite match the behavior she normally had.

He would never have thought that a tomboy like her would be such a vixen. Not that he was complaining.

Tenten stopped holding onto his neck for leverage as she leaned over and braced herself against the floor. She placed her palms firmly on the hardwood floor as she pushed herself back fervently using her upper body strength to push herself over his length with greater force.

He smirked some and gripped her hips and began to thrust himself into her, attempting to move into her from all angles. He moved one hand to her clit lightly rubbing it between his thumb and index finger, as he said, "Two can play at that game." his voice filled with lust.

"Ahhhn Naruto!!! Yes!! Take me! Make me yours!!" she screamed out as she pressed her palms to the floor arching her back. She felt herself drawing closer and closer to her climax as he took her so passionately.

"I'm going to make you feel like a woman!" he exclaimed as he once again sped up the pace and drove himself into her faster and more intensely.

"Ahh….Naruto…Naruto…NARUTO!!!" she chanted out passionately as her eyes rolled back as she reached her peak, as she climaxed. Her whole body tensed up as she felt a sudden feeling relaxation course through her as wave after wave of pleasure subsided.

Naruto grit his teeth as he continued to take the brunette, he was drawing closer to his limit. "Uhhhn…Tenten…I'm gonna come! I'm gonna come inside you!" he exclaimed as he began to move much faster thrusting himself deep inside of her. When suddenly he came and shot his thick load deep inside of her, his member releasing shot after shot of his seed inside of her with each spurt. And with the last spurt a scant amount seeped out, where the two were connected.

She pushed herself off the floor so she was resting against his chest, as she panted from the intensity of the climax he was able to deliver to her. "…Naruto…that was the best…ever…" she said between breaths as she set a hand on his cheek kissing him tenderly feeling extremely relaxed from the act.

She slowly raised herself off his member and dropped down between his legs and ran her tongue along his tool lapping up his seed that was mixed with her own juices. "Mmph…I…love…you…and your….sword…" she managed to say as she worked at cleaning him off before taking him into her mouth once more. Making sure she had gotten every last drop, slowly pulling her lips to the tip as she finished, making an audible pop as she pulled her mouth off.

"You should probably take a shower and clean up. And while you do that, I'll make some breakfast." she said as she slowly sat up and looked at him a satiated look in her eyes, as she grabbed her bra and pulled it on.

He shifted his eyes to look at her, "Probably a good idea…I can't be walking around smelling of sex. No telling where I'll have to be…" he said as he sat up, slowly standing to his feet and gathering up his clothes. Once he was in the bathroom he started up the shower, once it was warm he stepped under the showerhead, letting the warm water flow over him. As the water flowed over him, he began to reflect on the past, remembering who he was, what had happened, who he had now become.

Slowly his mind took him to when he had chosen to walk the road he now traveled. That of a loner, that a sinner wishing to atone for wrongs he viewed were his. Slowly his mind faded to the night he met the one who gave him the tools to forge his new path. The man who may have changed his path in life, the one who gave him the summoning tattoos.

_It had been shortly after his journey to acquire a way to replace the Kyuubi and its Chakra. He had been to the other villages and had failed to find anything. No skills that could benefit him, then as he traveled down a road, he encountered a masked shinobi. The mask was a black on one side white on the other, a fur coat draped his figure with the hood drawn up. A gray muscle shirt with a wolf fang rosary about his neck, and camouflage cargo pants. He looked like someone who could have been in league with Uchiha Madara by all means._

"_The legendary Uzumaki Naruto…" casually the man spoke as he pulled his hood down a shock of spiked silver hair was revealed, this was soon followed by the revelation of his face, which bore many scars. Bangs were covering his forehead, the wolfish eyes peered at the blond as if it were a wolf on the prowl. A massive scroll hung behind him, held close to him by a pair of chains which crossed over his chest._

"…_Hmph…yeah, so what do you want?" he responded as he looked at the man with irritation, not feeling all too eager to deal with a freak like this man._

_The silver haired man smirked wildly as he looked at the boy, and said enigmatically, "The name is Jinketsu Ginshin, and I, I can give you the power you seek. But I cannot give you the spirit to use the power properly. You are broken. You have lost the will to fight!"_

_He rolled his eyes the man was clearly insane. Then he remembered, the Bingo Book. It listed Jinketsu Ginshin as a dangerous ninja, a very, very dangerous one. The last of the Hakke Rengou, he was driven mad by the loss of all he held dear. He had allegedly left a trail of destruction that would have made him a prime candidate for Akatsuki. But he didn't harm innocents he left countless bandits and criminal groups destroyed in his wake._

"…_And why would you give me power? I could be a Shinobi sent to deal with you. After all you are regarded as a criminal." Naruto replied as he looked at the peculiar ninja, he didn't trust this man one bit. He was about as far gone as Orochimaru was._

"_Oh? That's where you're wrong. Even if you were here to eliminate me, you couldn't. You have lost your will to fight. I can see it your eyes, the fear, it makes you believe you are incapable of protecting. That fear suppresses your real strength" the silver haired rogue responded as he grabbed the scroll and unfurled it revealing what appeared to be art work, art work for tattoos. He grinned as he looked at the younger shinobi, as he proceeded to explain the meaning of the scroll "This is the power which I have to offer you."_

"_Artwork? No thanks. If I wanted artwork I could have asked a possibly gay artist in Konoha to teach me." the blond responded as he moved to walk past Ginshin, he felt as if he were dealing with a lunatic._

"_Summoning Tattoos. This is a prized Contract, the Contract of the Guardians, Seiryuu, Suzaku, Byakko, and Genbu. The other tattoos that will form will be representative of your life and of you, as well as the person who performed the Jutsu to transfer the contract. It will replace the power of the Bijuu you lost…you will need to learn to specialize. You will need to learn to be a one man army so those you love never get hurt again…" he coolly explained as he spoke with a new almost tranquil tone to his voice, his eye shifting to the blond to wait for his response._

_Naruto stopped in his tracks and looked at Ginshin questionably, and asked"…And why would you give me this?"_

"_I know of you. You wish to have the power to protect those you hold dear. The power in the contract is not meant for me. It is meant for someone who would save anyone. Someone like you the redeemer of lost souls." he explained as his demeanor slowly changed to that of a lost soul who had no way of finding his redemption in this world._

"…_I can't save anyone. You're talking to the wrong person. I couldn't save my friend, I couldn't even save my best friend…I'm a failure as a Redeemer." he responded as he started to walk away._

"…_This is the test, do you run from the challenge to overcome your past and bow down like a scalded dog? Or will you rush this test of life and make it submit because you will challenge fate at every turn?! You need to find your reasons to fight again…you still have friends, you still have a home, use the power to protect it." he reasoned as he spun on his heel, hoping he could get through to the younger shinobi._

_As he heard these words, he stopped walking and looked to the ground and uttered one word, "Fine…"_

"_Good…I have faith in your ability to be savior that I could never be." he kindly said as he cast his coat to the side, he held no hesitations about what he was going to do. _

"_What do I have to do…?" asked Naruto as he looked at Ginshin, he didn't like this idea, but if he could save others he would accept the power._

"_Just sit on the ground…you will feel some discomfort though as the contract transfers to your body." he said as he gave a warning about the jutsu he was about to use. _

_Once Naruto was seated on the ground Ginshin began forming hand seals, as he slipped his foot from his wooden sandal and placed his foot on the scroll._

_As he finished the hand seals, four sets of chakra rose up from the scroll taking forms of the dragon, tortoise, tiger, and phoenix. The dragon bit into his right side, the tiger on his left side, the tortoise on the back of the neck, and phoenix hooked it's talons into his lower back. As the pain dulled enough for him to continue chakra formed about his hands resembling two wolf heads. He brought the maws of the chakra wolves to Naruto's neck which immediately clamped down and began transferring the contract onto the blonde's body. The blond grit his teeth as his eyes widened as he felt the sharp pain in his neck as if he were being torn apart by wolves._

_A lotus tattoo appeared at the base of the neck, the words of the contract slowly materializing about his forearm, the seal for creature summoning appearing on the underside of his arm. On his elbow a spider web took form with a Madaragumo spider appearing with numerous weapons trapped within the golden orb. In the bend of his elbow a lake which had ripples in the water akin to the Rinnegan, with six tombstones surrounding the lake. On bicep there was a sword akin to the one Ginshin carried, pierced within a throne made of stone, a wolf, heron, swallowtail butterfly, snow leopard, and eagle rested on or around the throne._

_One the right bicep, a wolf bound in chains held fast to massive sword, its eyes red as blood, an ouroboros medallion hanging from the mouth. The ouroboros was not like any seen before. It had the snake forming a six sided star. Below the wolf three masks, a Kitsune, Hannya, and a Tengu, took form on the heads of three skulls. On the right elbow a pattern matching that of Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan._

_At the bend of his arm two dice and a hand of cards appeared, each bore a symbol of a different element, and dice were loaded sixes on all sides. Down on his forearm the skull of an Oni, with a black katana pierced into the skull, and a raven perching atop the hilt. On the underside of his arm, there was a white katana resting in a field of flowers with a dove perched on the handle. Various patterns filled out areas of his arms to make sure no skin showed on his arms._

_As the arms completed, the Tortoise forced its way through Ginshin's body as it appeared on the blonde's upper back. Carrying a large mountain atop its back, a white snake coiled about the peak. The Phoenix followed suit and appeared on the lower back rising up from the most intense of flames. The tiger would be next appearing as if it came from the mist that was blowing in, a pair of wings raised from its back. Finally the dragon patiently pushed its way through Ginshin and took form on the right side of the Blonde's back, as the azure dragon rising from the sea itself. The yin yang and the eight trigrams appeared at the center of his back._

_As the Jutsu was completed, the silver haired ninja staggered back as the wolf heads of chakra faded away. Suddenly he coughed up blood before he fell back, falling quickly to the ground. "…I didn't tell you one thing…I…die…by using the Jutsu…" he said as he looked to the sky a sad smile on his face as he rested on the ground._

_Naruto shocked by these words, spun to his knees and looked at the man. "…Why?! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS!?" he shouted in rage as he looked at the dying man, feeling guilty for allowing him to do this._

"…_I'm tired…tired of being a drifter…tired of it all…I just want to return to Suiren…I miss her…every day. But…don't feel guilty…" explained the drifter as he weakly tilted his head to look at the boy._

"…_Is there something I can do for you? …I can't just leave you at the side of the road…" he asked, he felt obligated to honor a last request of the man who sacrificed his life to give him the power to carry on._

"…_Take…my coat…my necklace…and my sword…I don't need them anymore. As for my last request, take…me to the mountains not too far from here…I want to be buried besides Suiren. Sorry…I lied to you…kid. Don't walk the road I did…if you…find someone you care about…let them in…" he spoke as his breathing continued to draw more and more short, as he said one final word. Suiren._

_Naruto hung his head in that moment he felt pangs of guilt, despites Ginshin telling him not to feel responsible. _

_He honored Ginshin's request, he saw to it he was buried on the mountain where a village once stood. It had been one of the many lesser villages that had been destroyed by the wars. Ginshin was the one hundred and eighth shinobi to be buried on the mountain. He made sure to honor the request of the Shinobi to bury him beside Suiren. He broke the chain from the sword that Ginshin had given to him and tied it about the two graves._

As he came back to the present he lifted his head and pushed his hair out of his face. Even after all this time he still hadn't the courage to choose his own path. He was afraid to fail again, perhaps he needed to stop running, and stop being a coward.

He turned off the water as he lowered his head his hair fell down about his face. He wished he had the reason to fight again. As he lowered stared at the drain watching the water spiral down, images of Karin's dead body flashed in his mind. _'Karin loves me and I…feel something for her…it's the only reason why I let my defenses down around her…' _he thought to himself with some trepidation, as he lifted his head.

He got out of the shower and dried himself off before he pulled his clothes on. The aromas of breakfast soon took his mind off his troubles. He hadn't sat down to a meal in a long time, a real meal. As it turned out there were things about Tenten, that he nor anyone else no one knew about.

As he strode out of the bathroom, suddenly his arm was gripped by the brunette as she led him to the dinner table. He was quickly forced to sit down as he looked to the table he saw quite the meal had been prepared.

"It's about time you ate a proper meal, I've been paying attention since you came back…you aren't taking care of yourself." she said with concern as she sat down in chair next to him. As she handed him some chopsticks, a stern look in her eyes, as if she had taken it upon herself to prevent him a path of self destruction.

"…Fine…" he said as he smiled faintly, and proceeded to eat the meal she had prepared. Egg drop soup, egg rolls, steamed rice, an omelet, and some ramen, a meal with all intentions of making sure he ate well had been prepared while he showered.

As he ate, he began to reflect on the events as of late, he was the savior. But, who will save the savior? Perhaps the women who have forced their way into his darkened heart had done so in an effort to save him. If only he could understand why they wanted to save him it would be easier.

A short time later after he had finished his meal, he walked to the door and prepared to leave. "Thank you for Breakfast, Tenten…I think I'm going to go find something to do with this mandatory vacation…" he courteously said as he pulled his coat on and tied his headband around his forehead.

"...Naruto…" she began with some worry to her voice she held some apprehension about how he had been acting since his return. She clenched her fists and looked up as she continued, "Don't keep walking this road of self destruction…you have people who care about you, and love you…"

"…I do it so those who care about me will live…" he unemotionally responded as he walked out the door not wanting to allow his defenses to drop any further than they had.

'…_You won't be weak if you let us in. You will be stronger you will have the will to fight again. You will have something worth fighting for like you use to.' _she thought to herself as she watched him leave, feeling concerned for his well being.

As Naruto walked through the village, he encountered Sakura, who looked as if she were searching for him. He snidely remarked, "Oh joy…two encounters in one day. I must be doing something right."

"…Oh shut the hell up you ass. I came to find you only because Tsuchi Kin refuses to speak to anyone else. So come on." she sapped in response, she was instantly irritated with the callous remarks of the blond.

He looked at her coldly and sighed saying softly, "Fine…lead the way."

Shortly they arrived at the Medical Corp, he had been lead to Kin's room, and she needed to talk to him, alone. He hoped it was for a good reason.

He sat in a chair beside the bed, as he looked quietly at her. "…So why is it you need to talk to me…?" he quietly asked as rested his head against his hand which was clenched lightly into a fist.

The former Kunoichi of Otogakure blinked, as she looked at him. _'This can't be right. That can't be the same loud mouth that I saw at the Chuunin Exams. He acts like that bastard Uchiha Sasuke…'_ she quietly thought as she stared at him.

He narrowed his eyes and as calmly as possibly asked, "…Well?"

She snapped out of her daze and finally spoke up, "…Yeah…I wanted to tell you about Uchiha Sasuke. To be exact…the Jutsu he used to bring people like me back. He calls it **Sharin Tensei **(Copy Wheel Reincarnation). I was the first successful resurrection he performed, for it to succeed he needs three sacrifices…"

"Then why are you here? Shouldn't you be grateful for him bringing you back?" he asked without hesitation as he leaned back in the chair.

She gripped the sheets of the bed as she looked down sadly, as she weakly said, "…No…after he was finished he cast me aside like garbage. He said, 'You have no abilities that could be of use' and left…he had been using one of Orochimaru's old bases…when he brought me back. So…I don't know where he is…"

"And why are you telling me this…?" he dryly inquired as he looked at her.

"…To help you stop him from disgracing others I had known…because I won't be able to…" she trailed off as she reached for a knife that was on the food platter and moved to force the knife into her neck without hesitation of the pain that would ensue.

Before she could do such the knife was slapped from her hand, as he stared at her with an intense look in his eyes. "Stop being a coward! You would put a waste to the lives used to bring you back!? If you want to spite him…live!" he exclaimed as he looked at her angrily, he was tired of seeing people die.

"I want to die! I BELONG DEAD!!!" she screamed as she doubled over and began crying uncontrollably, she hated herself, she hated what she was, an abomination.

He frowned as he walked out of the room and shot a glance to Sakura, and coldly said, "Put her under a suicide watch…" as he slowly moved to walk to the entrance to leave the Medical Corp, as he was walking his arm was suddenly gripped by Sakura.

"What did she do and where are you going?" she asked, in concern for him, she saw what looked like a powerful look to his eyes. Something filled with determination, no filled with hatred.

He stopped and coldly said, "She tried to kill herself. I'm going to see what Ino found out from the foul mouthed prisoner. That's where.", he then jerked his arm free and walked out of the building. He rushed forward and sprung to the air traveling by roof to roof making his way quickly.

He made no wasted effort as he traveled as he reached ANBU and made his way to the Interrogation Wing. As he walked in he saw Ino exhausted and frustrated as she held her head in her hands.

"...I can't find out anything. Not even with my Clan's special Jutsu. When dad was trying to find out about Pein he encountered the same thing, some form of Genjutsu that suppresses certain memories." she explained as she looked up at him, knowing well why he had shown up.

He took off his coat and set it at her desk, "…Fine…which room are you holding her in? Sakura put me in a foul mood this morning anyway…" he responded as he cracked his knuckles.

"Room Three…maybe you will have some better luck…" she exhaustedly explained, as she pointed to the room in question.

He slowly walked to the room, as he walked in the dark eyed girl, looked at him with contempt as the door closed. He slowly walked past the security camera, and unplugged it, his lips curling into a sickening smirk as he did such. "Oops…clumsy me…" he casually remarked as he walked towards her, his eyes slowly transforming as he brought about Sage Mode by some means, his eyes becoming very draconic as the retained their blue shade.

"…What are you going to do…?" she said as she tensed up feeling uneasy with the blond suddenly, as if he were giving off an aura with an intense killing intent.

"...Sometimes to get to heaven, you have to go through hell…" he responded as he leaned forward bracing himself on the table as he lowered himself downward, coiling almost like a viper.

Meanwhile, at the Hokage Tower, there was a meeting was taking place, Gaara the Kazekage with his siblings present, and Karui, Samui, and Omoi on behalf of the Raikage.

"…We need to discuss what to do about Uchiha Sasuke…" Kakashi began as laced his fingers thoughtfully as he looked at those who had been sent to meet with him. It was obvious to Kakashi he couldn't allow Naruto to be left to take care of things on his own anymore. He was growing more emotionally unstable and was a threat more to himself than anyone else.

"Why can't you let Blondie handle it? He should be able to kill the bastard properly if he's motivated enough!" Karui quickly said, no hesitation no doubt whatsoever as she said it.

"…I agree…if Naruto feels those he cares about are in danger he should obviously have the strength to do what is necessary." Gaara unemotionally commented as he leaned back in the chair he was sitting in.

"I wish we could…but, Naruto has changed since any of you last saw him…" Kakashi began as he looked at the six ninja that were in his office, as he opened a Personal File and set the file photos down on the table.

"This is Uzumaki Naruto as of now…" he quietly explained as he pointed to photos of the long haired, scarred, and tattooed shinobi.

"…Tell me what changed him…that cold look in his eyes. I know it all too well…" Gaara responded as he coolly looked at the Hokage.

"…It a few months ago when he returned from his Journey…" Kakashi began as he kept his composure he would have to explain the events that have changed Naruto. He held some hope that Gaara could get through to Naruto and save him. It would be for the best if it could be done.

**Author's Notes: Please no requests for the Harem. Its practically decided, so I think I will take the poll down. Depending on where the story goes I will decide then and there if Hinata or Sakura join the Harem. For now it's gonna be the girls associated with crack. I hope you enjoyed the second chapter. It's challenging to keep Naruto in a depressed angry mood. But I will tough it out until possibly chapter four.**

**I also promise you guys. No more OC's. I needed to find a good way for Naruto to get the crazy summoning tattoo.**


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